In some situations in elevator operation, it would be appropriate or at least convenient to be able to control the call functions of the elevator or e.g. the door functions by a method other than by pressing the fixed call or other buttons of the elevator. The use of a remote controller for giving landing calls to an elevator is known e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,673,911 (Yoshida), describes a remote controller for an elevator. By means of this controller, a landing call is transmitted to a receiver located in a landing call button unit, from where the call is passed on to the elevator control system. The elevator control system returns a call acknowledgement signal, which is sent on by a transmitter contained in the landing call button unit to the remote controller, where the acknowledgement of the call is indicated by a signal light. Functionally, this device can be regarded as a remote controller of landing call buttons, or as a duplicate of the landing call buttons in the landing call button unit, implemented as a remote controller.
To meet the needs to achieve a system for remote control which allows an elevator to be provided with several features controllable by a remote controller without having to provide a separate remote controller for each function, or without restricting the control of a given function to a given remote controller, a new type of remote controller linkage to an elevator system is needed. The needs for remote control must be adaptive from elevator to elevator depending on the building, the use for which the elevator is intended, etc. Relating to the installation, operation or maintenance of the elevator, these operational situations could include the following:
Calling an elevator to the floor without having to walk to the call button and press it, making it possible to significantly reduce the waiting time the passenger has to wait in front of the elevator door, or to eliminate the waiting time altogether. PA0 When it is necessary, e.g. when loading goods into or from the elevator car, to keep the doors open for a longer time than the door contol system would otherwise keep them. PA0 Sending the elevator to a separate floor without having to enter the car and give a car call. PA0 Various special situations in elevator operation. (Prior art methods of obtaining permission for special operation generally requires the use of a key; using, remembering and carrying along several keys is difficult.) PA0 Certain stages of operation during installation and maintenance where it is necessary to work at a location distant from the call buttons but which require frequent pressing of the buttons. (In some cases, the prior art requires a helper necessary in installation and maintenance work only for the purpose of pressing the call buttons.) PA0 Remote operation can be realized in a relatively simple manner in the operational situations listed above, relating to installation, operation and maintenance. PA0 The remote controller linkage practically means linking to the data transmission network of the elevator system, not just to an individual functional unit, so that, in principle, a remote controller can be used for the control of almost any functional unit in the elevator system. PA0 The remote controller linkage can be used, e.g., to connect a serviceman's terminal device to the elevator system. This allows the serviceman to obtain information about the condition of the elevator system and the required service operations immediately upon entering the building. PA0 During installation, the elevator can be operated even if the call buttons have not yet been installed because of the risk of their getting damaged or dirty. PA0 It is possible to establish a remote controller linkage to an individual elevator just as well as to an elevator group consisting of several elevators. PA0 Giving a landing call via a remote controller. The remote controller could be simply a call transmitter or it could also receive an acknowledgement and indicate it by a light and/or sound signal. PA0 Implementing a linkage for special users. Such a user could also give car calls and priorized calls/locking commands to move the elevator to a desired floor or to reserve it for a given use. Moreover, the elevator doors can be held open for as long a time as necessary. Such a linkage for special users is applicable for VIP operation, transport of patients in a hospital, transport of goods, special functions necessary for slow-moving handicapped persons etc. PA0 Upon entering a building, a serviceman could immediately obtain information via a special remote controller unit about the condition of the elevators, the position of each elevator and possibly a fault diagnosis: which elevator has failed, which part or unit of it has a fault or malfunction, etc. The information could be presented via a display incorporated in the remote control device of the serviceman/installer or possibly via a display unit belonging to the elevator system. PA0 An installer could control the elevator by means of his remote controller in a desired manner. The elevator could be used for goods transport even if all landing and car call buttons have not yet been installed. PA0 In connection with certain adjustments and other measures relating to elevator maintenance and installation which normally involve work at several functional units. An example of such measures is aligning the load-weighing device of the elevator with the aid of a remote controller. PA0 In access control, user identification can be implemented using a remote controller instead of, e.g., a magnetic card and card reader. This is applicable especially when the elevator system is linked to a general access control system in the building, and also when identification is required before access into the elevator is permitted. This allows identification without queueing up in front of a card reader during peak traffic. In fact, the need for a card reader or other specific access control device in the elevator lobby is diminished or eliminated altogether.